Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Johnny C]

I'll crosspost this from another forum:

Okay, so this is a hell of a lot of time in advance, but I'm trying to get a grant together for it so I'd like to get groundwork done in order to not have to worry as much about losing a shitload of money doing this.

I'm looking to tour out east in February from where I am, probably a fourteen-date trek if we can manage it. Does anyone have advice for someone trying to book a first time tour? I have zero contacts and zero indie cred, nobody is going to shoot cocaine and look glamorous to my music.

Once I get word from my band, by the way, I'll post the list of cities we're looking to perform in here. If you could help in any way by directing me to specific venues that would accommodate four dudes aged 20-26 who play rock and roll music, that would be cool. I've already looked into applying for work visas.

I should clarify what I'm doing a bit. We're only doing a two-week trek in Feburary and, if I can swing it, we'll do three weeks to a month out west in May. This period is probably when we can hit the Midwest and Northwest U.S., with any luck, though it'll likely take two weeks just to hit Canada's dates in there.

christ i am going to be so broke

I could probably definitely get you a show in Atlanta.

Maybe later next year. God willing we'll do well enough to sell two thousand copies on this tour (hahahahaha) and we can apply for a FACTOR grant to get us to the rest of the United States.

(It's funny because every other band I go see here in Regina basically just tours Canada but everyone I talk to on the Internet gives me places in the United States to play.)

i tried to get a grant for touring but found that the promoters I dealt with wouldn't give confirmation earlier than 2 or 3 months in advance. I'm organising another tour now and some of them are just confirming a little over a month out.

with the grant application I ended up having to put in copies of emails where people were saying they would give us a show and contact them closer to the dates, so we didn't really have anything solid.

Actually, this is exactly what I plan on doing.

So uh a little disheartening to learn that it didn't work out for you but good to know that other people went with the same plan I suppose?

I like the East Coast. I do. But if you haven't been to the U.S. before, do you really want to try to play D.C./NYC/Boston and assorted other huge cities? I could strip naked in those cities and suggestively writhe my way up a telephone pole and no one would pay attention to me.

I think this would be a good time to post the list of locales I'm potentially looking at, and if you have ideas for places in and around them then I'd be really pumped.

[Note: I have contact info for venues in the bolded places.]

winnipeg
fargo
milwaukee
chicago
ann arbor
guelph
toronto
kingston
montreal
fredericton
moncton
halifax
quebec
ottawa
sault ste. marie
kenora

It's also really good to know that if and when we dip further into the States there are places we can go like Lancaster. I mean, fuck it, if you'll book us, we'll play there. We ain't no Vampire's Weekend or Wolves On Parade.

I'd be open to possibly even cutting out that far Eastern leg of the tour (Frederiction-Halifax) in favour of opening up a couple more shows wherever someone will book us.

CITIZENS OF QC

ANYTHING YOU CAN DO TO HELP WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED

[valley_parade]

Johnny, shut the fuck up and play New England already. I'll give you some couchage. I'll even score you a gig at the place I work the door for.

=( I WANT TO SEE YOU GUYS IS WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY.

[Liz]

Fargo, baby. Yeah.

Jonny, I posted links to a couple places in Fargo in Gabbly yesterday, but here they are again.

I am pretty goddamn sure you will be able to do a show at The Red Raven, as they mostly do local shows and some smaller touring shows. But they did host The Microphones/Mount Eerie last year. It is a tiny, tiny little venue but the vibe is very college student/hipster. I really do like it. (inside)

There's also The Aquarium which is where Okkervil River are going to be playing. The usually do bigger shows but on occasion they will do some local stuff, both 21+ and all ages. (inside)

I don't know if you will be able to play in bars or not, but if so there's The Nestor which does lots of local stuff and smaller touring bands, but is a bar, so if you play there a lot of the "college kid" scene will miss out. i will be 21 by then so go for it.

If you get really desperate, there is always the All-Star Bowl but generally they just do metal and screamo shows so I don't know how well it would go over for you dudes to play there. (inside)

Aside from venues, Fargo Moorhead Area Shows could be your friend here. They have links to a bunch of different promoters in the area that could maybe help you book a show, and also local acts that you could potentially contact to set up shows.

This is all I can come up with as of right now, but perhaps Brittany will wander in here and be able to get you a little more information.

[Liz]

I'm sure he will appreciate your help, Jens.

[BrittanyMarie]

Um. Liz basically has it covered; also there are usually tons of shows with locals who will let you hop on the bill. That's what Calvin Johnson did!

Local bands who'd be willing to help you out: Blue Fairy Godmothers, Kentucky Sound Arsenal(they are kind of post-metal I guess, and they're on tour at the moment, but even if you don't end up playing with them, they'd (mostly Nick) be able to help out, The Cass County Uglies are good and play a lot of shows.

Look at the promoters list on that FM Area Shows myspace... I personally think your music would go over best at the Aquarium or the Red Raven. Chris, the promoter for the Aquarium, is currently at the RNC (he's a producer for his brother's conservative radio show-they are politically polar opposites) so even though he gets email on his phone, I would advise against contacting him until after that's over. Email! hennenchris at gmail dot com
Also you could do an acoustic thing maybe at orange records or knds. The Live Jack'd Radio show loves having bands in. Here's John's myspace.

Actually dang. I hadn't seen that Red Raven website. Hella nice!

"Do You Want To Play Here?
The Red Raven would like you to

If you want your band to play at the Red Raven or you want to show your art here or if you want to read poetry or even share your talents at open mic night then contact us and will do our best to make that happen."

Just do that. Just play there, and I will go and get a hard times and probably try to hit on the guy who runs it (he has an amazing beard).

[Liz]

Brittany and I will bring plastic bowls to your show, I promise. And we can probably round up some people to come watch too.

Also, screw the rest of the places. Just play The Red Raven. It is funky and practically right downstairs from me, just in the next building over. Plus it smells like coffee so yay!

[Kai]

Dear Johnny:

I came out of hiding to post in this thread only to find that Kansas City is not on your list of potential places to tour. This is mildly upsetting. I could pretty easily set up something in a couple different places here.

You're not coming anywhere within a distance that would allow me to travel to you, either. Omaha? Des Moines? Iowa City? St. Louis? Nothing.


Alternate answer:

I'M MADLY IN ANGER WITH YOU.

Sincerely,
Griffin

[orangepeas]

Guelph:
Jimmy Jazz
Van Gogh's Ear
More Here.
If you come to Guelph, I may come to your show.

This site has venues listed by city.

[De_El]

Dammit until less than a month ago I lived in Chicago, and now I am in St. Paul, a town without da gig. On the plus side, OMG RNC clusterfuck rite now

[Liz]

Come to the Fargo show! It will totally be worth it.

[Johnny C]

I'd like to have a backup plan in case America falls through, meaning two more small towns in and around Toronto.

[valley_parade]

Massachusetts is only an 11 hour drive from Toronto.

[Johnny C]

AMERICAN VISAS ARE $131 NON-REFUNDABLE AND YOU MIGHT NOT EVEN GET THEM

[valley_parade]

THIS MAY BE WHY I DIDN'T GO TO TRONNOCON   

[BrittanyMarie]

??? but but but you wouldn't have needed a Visa if you were just going for a few days, would you?

ALSO Johnny what kind of visa would you be applying for? I'm assuming the tourist one, b3. You can always contact the office of a US Congressman. I think Earl Pomeroy expedited Sunset Rubdown's visa (Spencer was going to use Frog Eyes' which was dumb, because they are different bands). Obviously that was probably P1, which I guess you aren't. Anyway, apply early enough and you're probably fine.

Actually, reading the Bureau of Consulate Affairs website, it wouldn't look like you'd need a visa at all, since you're from Canada and are probably not going to make a whole lot of money on the affair.

[StaedlerMars]

http://travel.state.gov/visa/temp/without/without_1260.html#canada

I do believe that you don't need a visa to travel to the US for less than 90 days.

I would say come to New York, but I can't even guarantee I will be there. I might be in Montreal depending on when you would gig there.

[öde]

I look forward to your 2010 UK tour.

[Johnny C]

Canada isn't in the VWP. I think we'd actually be a P1-P3, I'm not sure which.

[RedLion]

Well you're already coming to Milwaukee and Chicago, both of which are like, an hour from me. So there's no need to play in shitsville Janesville, WI.

[Joseph]

What places are you in contact with in Montreal?

[BrittanyMarie]

Canada isn't in the VWP. I think we'd actually be a P1-P3, I'm not sure which.

Canada isn't in the VWP because they don't need to be.

Visa Requirements - Citizens of Canada, and Permanent Residents

Citizens of Canada traveling to the U.S. do not require a nonimmigrant visa, except for the travel purposes as described below.

The reasons below being a government official, treaty trader or investor, or married or engaged to a US National.

As for the P level visas, I doubt you'd really qualify as any.

P-1 classification applies to individual or team athletes, or members of an entertainment group that are internationally recognized (25,000);

P-2 classification applies to artists or entertainers who will perform under a reciprocal exchange program;

P-3 classification applies to artists or entertainers who perform under a program that is culturally unique (same as P-1); and

Q-1 classification applies to participants in an international cultural exchange program for the purpose of providing practical training, employment, and the sharing of the history, culture, and traditions of the alien's home country.

However, if you were going to go for a visa (even though I am still pretty sure that you wouldn't actually need one), I would think that a B2 would suffice.

Pleasure, Tourism, Medical Treatment - Visitor Visas (B-2) - As examples, if the purpose of your planned travel is recreational in nature, including tourism, amusement, visits with friends or relatives, rest, medical treatment, and activities of a fraternal, social, or service nature, then a visitor visa (B-2) would be the appropriate type of visa for your travel.

These Estates performing activities of a social nature!

[Johnny C]

What places are you in contact with in Montreal?

I have contact info for Casa Del Popolo/Sala Rossa and Divian Orange.

I'm emailing the U.S. Consulate to find out.